The question that I get most often from people who do not have tattoo’s is, “Does it hurt?” and the answer to that question is, “Yes.” Then their follow up question will be, “What does it fee like?” Of course the answer will probably differ from person to person but the best way I can describe it is, it feels like you are getting stung by hundreds of bees at the same time.

So if you are interested in getting a tattoo, please know that getting a tattoo on your body is going to hurt, but there are definitely more and less painful places on your body you could get on. So this leads me to inform you on the most and least painful places on your body to get a tattoo. Please keep in mind every person differs from pain levels, this is just a general consensus.

Most Painful1. The ankles or top of your feet

2. Eyebrows

3. Chest or rib cage

4. Your private areas

5. The elbow

6. Eyelids

7. Knuckles

8. Spine

Least Painful

1. Shoulder

2. Thigh

3. Butt

4. Upper Arm

If I didn’t list a particular part of your body you are interested in knowing about, just keep this in mind. The more boney and less fatty an area on your body is the more painful that tattoo is going to be, due to the fact that there is nothing there to help take the pain expect for your nerves and skin.

infinitetattoossaid,

Yes, I think it will hurt worse on your foot than your hip. But I would’t get it on your hip. If you every have children one day that little heart will look like a horrible mess. Try the inside of your ankle. Also keep in mind that a lot of tattoo artisit don’t like tattooing feet because the ink fads really quik.

bartsaid,

correction, shins should be at the top of your list . my tattoo artist has both his shins tattooed, and he said that he could only go for about 5 minutes at a time before the pain was so unbearable he couldnt stand it. and come on, who isnt gonna believe a man who has tattooes all over his body when he says shins are the worst.

Rsaid,

I would add that one of the worst places for a woman to get a tattoo is on the breast – aging and childbirth changes the size of your breasts and that will distort your tattoo. I really regret having one there.

knucklessaid,

i am going to get FAMILY in a fancy script to fill my throat i have tsttoos all over my body eveen my collarbones. do you expect the pain to be more or less than my collar bone? Cut that sucked alooooooooot.

I definitely concur with the placement of “ribs” on the list. I just got inked there and it was hands down the most painful experience of my life. The other tatt I have, right on the spine where neck meets back, was pleasant in comparison.

Hi. I wouldn’t be concerned about it. But you should know that it will hurt on the spine area. I have a tramp stamp on my lower back right over my spine and it hurt really really bad. If the pain gets to be too much just ask the tattoo artist to stop for a sec.

Alexsaid,

Hey im getting my first tattoo tomorrow (hopefully!) but i have no idea where to get it…i was thinking about having it on my wrist but have been told this is very painful…..i want to get something in rememberance of my nanna and ive already picked out the design. I have no idea what my pain threshold is like, so please help😦 for a first time tattooee, where is the least painful place?

Hilarysaid,

well my friend just got her 2nd tatt on her upper arm and she got this after giving birth to her first, she said child birth was a walk in the park (she said this before the tatt) and this girl did the natural child birth thing (no drugs what so ever) but she said her arm was the worst pain she’s ever experienced so it’s all about your tolerence

michellesaid,

no way nothings worse than child birth !!!! i have 3 kids and 3 tattoo’s and tattoo me all day long its no way as painfull ! ankle hurts but just bite down on something like a towel and remember to breathe lol sure you’ll be fine x

Dominicsaid,

I had a tattoo done on my shoulder that extended inwards towards my chest. I lost a signigificant amount of wait and now it looks like a shrivalled balloon. I want to get it fixed but I’m wondering if getting it retattooed would be even more painful then when I originally got it.

Megansaid,

I have a tattoo on my foot and honestly, i don’t think it was all that bad. My step-sister got her tramp stamp the same day and she was crying. I sat there the whole time without crying or anything. the very top of the foot hurts worse than the rest, but it’s not so bad… although my artist did tell me that he was surprised i sat through the whole thing. I dont’ see what the big fuss was about.

and in comparison.. i have my ears gauged and i would rather get a tattoo anyday. gauges hurt way worse if you ask me.

Megansaid,

So I might be getting my first tattoo in two weeks. I’ve picked the design and I really want it on my shoulder blade. Now I’ve been told that I have very thick muscles, would that help in decreasing the pain? And I’m wondering if the pain will be worse then maybe a knee surgery?? (Since I’ve had one) The size of the tattoo is about the size of my hand (which is pretty small.. consider a twelve years-old size of their hand lol). And it won’t be in colour either, just black and grey. I think my pain tolerance has gotten alright.. better then I used to be. I was wondering how much do you think it would hurt on the shoulder blade?? Thanks🙂

You should be fine. I got my first tat on my shoulder blade and it wasn’t too painful. Now my tramp stamp on my spine that’s a whole another story. Just be prepared for some stinging and some discomfort. If it gets too painful ask your tattoo artist to stop.

First Timersaid,

Hey, im hoping to get this tattoo either on my lover stomache to the right of my belly button or on my back in pretty much the same place – right of my spine. Which one of these will hurt less? my tattoo design is a butterfly and has a few bits where it crosses over apparently this is extreamly painful – any advice/tips on how to lower the pain seeing as though i have no clue how high or low my pain threshold is :S
i have also been told that if you have abit to drink or take painkillers before hand they thin you blood making it harder to have a tattoo is this true or complete bullshit?
Firsttimer.

Drinking and taking painkillers will thin your blood its not BS. As far as the tattoo placement it will hurt no matter what. I would stay away from your stomach area b/c your butterfly will end up looking like a mutant when you have kids. That is if you haven’t already. I have a tattoo on my spine a (tramp stamp) if you will and it hurt a lot and I have a high pain tolerance.

phoenixsaid,

i got a tattoo of a medium sized gun on my foot and it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as i thought it would. it mainly only hurt closest to the bottom of my foot, and at the very top. but it hurt worse than the one on my back, bicep and the one below the crease in my arm (by my between the bicep and forearm) but if you really want it, i is tolerable. this is coming from someone who cried when she had to get a shot up until she was sixteen.